Floral sleeve with upper detachable portion

Abstract

A plant packaging system comprising a combination of a protective sleeve portion and a decorative cover portion having a base and skirt for packaging a potted plant. The protective sleeve can be detached from the decorative portion of the package system once the protective function of the sleeve has been completed, thereby exposing the decorative cover and allowing the skirt portion to extend angularly from the base. The protective sleeve and decorative cover components may comprise a unitary construction or may comprise separate components which are attached together by various bonding materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tubular sleeve for containing a pot and having a lower end, an upper end, and an inner retaining space, the tubular sleeve, comprising: a lower portion having a lower end, an upper end, and an outer surface area and a retaining space for enclosing the pot, wherein the lower portion is tapered and sized and dimensioned to contain a pot; and   an upper sleeve portion having an outer surface area and extending a distance from the upper end of the lower portion and detachable therefrom via a line of perforations, and sized to substantially surround and enclose a floral grouping disposed with the pot, and   wherein the outer surface area of the lower portion is less than the outer surface area of the upper sleeve portion and   wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached from the upper end of the lower portion, the lower portion is left with a base portion sized to enclose the pot and a plurality of portions extending from the base portion which together form a skirt portion.   
     
     
       2. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the base portion and the skirt portion are constructed from a first material and the sleeve portion is constructed from a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
       3. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 mils to about 30 mils. 
     
     
       4. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mils to about 10 mils. 
     
     
       5. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 1 mil to about 5 mils. 
     
     
       6. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of treated or untreated paper, cellophane, metal foil, polymer film, non-polymer film, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, and laminations or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 further comprising an extended portion of the sleeve portion for serving as a handle or support means. 
     
     
       8. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the expansion means further comprises a plurality of vertical pleats. 
     
     
       9. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the expansion means further comprises a plurality of vertical folds each having a Z-shaped cross section. 
     
     
       10. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the expansion means further comprises a plurality of vertical accordion-type folds. 
     
     
       11. A plant package, comprising: a tubular sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, and an inner retaining space, and further comprising:   a lower portion having a lower end, an upper end, and an outer surface area and a retaining space for enclosing a pot means, and and wherein the lower portion is tapered; and   an upper sleeve portion having an outer surface area and connected to the upper end of the lower portion and detachable therefrom via a line of perforations and extending a distance therefrom, and sized to substantially surround and encompass a floral grouping disposed within the pot, and   and wherein the outer surface area of the lower portion is less than the outer surface area of the upper sleeve portion, and   wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached from the upper end of the lower portion, the lower portion is left with a base portion sized to enclose the pot and a plurality of portions extending from the base portion which together form a skirt portion; and   a pot means disposed within the retaining space of the lower portion of the tubular sleeve, the pot means having a floral grouping disposed therein, and wherein the pot means is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the base portion of the lower portion and the floral grouping is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the upper sleeve portion and wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached the skirt portion extends beyond an upper end of the pot means.   
     
     
       12. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 wherein the base portion and the skirt portion are constructed from a first material and the sleeve portion is constructed from a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
       13. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 mils to about 30 mils. 
     
     
       14. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mils to about 10 mils. 
     
     
       15. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 further defined as constructed from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 1 mil to about 5 mils. 
     
     
       16. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 further defined as constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of treated or untreated paper, cellophane, metal foil, polymer film, non-polymer film, cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, and laminations or combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. The tubular sleeve of claim 11 further comprising an extended portion of the sleeve portion for serving as a handle or support means. 
     
     
       18. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the lower portion has an open lower end. 
     
     
       19. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the lower portion has a closed lower end. 
     
     
       20. The tubular sleeve of claim 19 wherein the closed lower end has a drain hole. 
     
     
       21. The tubular sleeve of claim 1 wherein the lower portion has a drain hole. 
     
     
       22. The plant package of claim 11 wherein the lower portion of the sleeve has an open lower end. 
     
     
       23. The plant package of claim 11 wherein the lower portion of the sleeve has a closed lower end. 
     
     
       24. The plant package of claim 23 wherein the closed lower end of the lower portion of the sleeve has a drain hole. 
     
     
       25. The plant package of claim 11 wherein the lower portion has a drain hole. 
     
     
       26. A tubular sleeve for containing a pot and having a lower end, an upper end, and an inner retaining space, the tubular sleeve, comprising: a lower portion having a lower end, an upper end, and an outer surface area and a retaining space for enclosing the pot, wherein the lower portion is sized and dimensioned to contain a pot; and   an upper sleeve portion having an outer surface area and extending a distance from the upper end of the lower portion and detachable therefrom via a line of perforations, and sized to substantially surround and enclose a floral grouping disposed with the pot, and   and wherein the outer surface area of the lower portion is less than the outer surface area of the upper sleeve portion and   wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached from the upper end of the lower portion, the lower portion is left with a base portion sized to enclose the pot and a plurality of portions extending from the base portion which together form a skirt portion.   
     
     
       27. The tubular sleeve of claim 26 wherein the lower portion has an open lower end. 
     
     
       28. The tubular sleeve of claim 26 wherein the lower portion has a closed lower end. 
     
     
       29. The tubular sleeve of claim 28 wherein the closed lower end has a drain hole. 
     
     
       30. The tubular sleeve of claim 26 wherein the closed portion has a drain hole. 
     
     
       31. A plant package, comprising: a tubular sleeve having a lower end, an upper end, and an inner retaining space, and further comprising: a lower portion having a lower end, an upper end, and an outer surface area and a retaining space for enclosing a pot means, and wherein the lower portion is tapered; and   an upper sleeve portion having an outer surface area and extending a distance from the upper end of the lower portion and detachable therefrom via a line of perforations, and sized to substantially surround and enclose a floral grouping disposed within the pot, and   wherein the outer surface area of the lower portion is less than the outer surface area of the upper sleeve portion, and   wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached from the upper end of the lower portion, the lower portion is left with a base portion sized to enclose the pot and a plurality of portions extending from the base portion which together form a skirt portion; and     a pot means disposed within the retaining space of the lower portion of the tubular sleeve, the pot means having a floral grouping disposed therein, and wherein the pot means is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the base portion of the lower portion and the floral grouping is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the upper sleeve portion and wherein when the upper sleeve portion is detached the skirt portion extends beyond an upper end of the pot means.   
     
     
       32. The plant package of claim 31 wherein the lower portion of the sleeve has an open lower end. 
     
     
       33. The plant package of claim 31 wherein the lower portion of the sleeve has a closed lower end. 
     
     
       34. The plant package of claim 31 wherein the closed lower end of the lower portion of the sleeve has a drain hole. 
     
     
       35. The plant package of claim 31 wherein the lower portion has a drain hole.